Luxury Experience - Jeff Lorber Fusion

Jeff Lorber Fusion - Galaxy is a compilation of eleven tracks that takes the listener through jazz fusion circa 1978 through 2012. With an exemplary list of musicians such as Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip, Eric Marienthal, Vinnie Colaiuta, Lenny Castro, Paul Jackson, Jr., and more, the release takes on an expression of the members creating a fusion that may start a new movement.

Jeff Lorber Fusion - Galaxy: Live Wire, Big Brother, Montserrat, Singaraja, Galaxy, City, Horace, The Samba, Rapids, Wizard Island, The Underground

Personnel: Jeff Lober: Guitars, Rhodes, Synth-Bass, Loops; Jimmy Haslip: Bass, Bass Melody, Synth Horn Arrangement, Percussion; Michael Thompson: Guitar; Andree Theander: Guitar; Larry Koonse: Guitar; Drums: Vinnie Colaiuta: Drums; Lenny Castro: Percussion; Paul Jackson, Jr.: Guitar; Eric Marienthal: Alto and Soprano Saxophone; Dave Mann: Horn Arrangement and Performance; Dave Weckl: Drum Engineering; Randy Becker: Trumpet

Jeff Lorber Fusion - Galaxy was produced by Jeff Lorber and Jimmy Haslip and released on the Heads Up record label a division of Concord Music Group. The release is a return to Jeff Lorber's groundbreaking jazz fusion sound from the 1970's with eleven new compositions performed by a Who's Who from the jazz world. Jeff and his bandmates take the original jazz fusion sound and meld in more than three decades of influences into a fresh, bold, and exciting sound.

The release kicks off with the track Live Wire, a seven plus minute track that shows that nothing has been lost through time, but that more has been found and that time has tightened up the sound; the track has explosive solos and segments that engage the listener. The track Big Brother brings together segments of Hip Hop along with blazing jazz keyboards by Jeff Lorber, driving bass from the amazing fingers of Jimmy Haslip, and a vibrant guitar solo by Michael Thompson.

Montserrat is a track that brings in the Funk with a funky horn arrangement layered on top of a tight bass line, and it is peppered with juicy keyboard and saxophone segments. The track Singaraja is straight ahead jazz fusion with tempered solos across the band. The title track Galaxy switches drummers with Dave Weckl sitting behind the rack and showing his stuff, Dave and Jeff have worked together on Jeff's last three releases, so the chemistry is excellent.

The track City, first introduced on Jeff's 1980 release Jeff Lorber Fusion: Wizard Island, has a new arrangement bringing together three decades of jazz, funk, and that unique Lorber influence. The track takes a run through the different style of jazz fusion with segments that have a quick build to a crescendo followed by smooth segways between sections.

One of Jeff's favorite tracks is Horace that is dedicated to Horace Silver, an American jazz pianist and composer who was an inspiration to Jeff during his early days. As Jeff says, "Horace Silver was one of the forefathers of fusion jazz. ...he's not given as much credit as he deserves." The Samba is a remixed track from Jeff's 1978 release Soft Space, and the Latin-influenced track shows the depth that jazz fusion spans pulling together a vibrant Latin beat complemented by a rousing jazz and funk melody.

Other tracks include Rapids, an up tempo beat with a spicy horn section and an energizing keyboard; Wizard Island a down-home jazz beat with a stirring bass solo by Jimmy Haslip that complements a steady drum beat from Vinnie Caoliuta; and the last track, The Underground, which opens with a saucy trumpet and glides through on the fingers of Jeff Lorber creating a fitting conclusion to a look at jazz fusion circa 1978 through 2012. So Jeff, what is next?